


I want to remember those special moments

by TardisGhost



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Humor, M/M, POV Second Person, Photography, Reader-Insert, Romantic Fluff, gender-neutral
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:14:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26721250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TardisGhost/pseuds/TardisGhost
Summary: "In years to come I want to take out those pictures and re-remember all of those special and beautiful scenes. All this small moments that made me happy."On one of your trips you find yourself explaining to the Master why photos are so important for humans.Strangely enough - he listens.
Relationships: The Master (Doctor Who)/Reader, The Master (Simm)/Reader
Comments: 6
Kudos: 37





	I want to remember those special moments

**Author's Note:**

> Heyho!
> 
> I wanted to do one of those for a long time now, but never really did... or dared? Idk. But here we go.  
> A bit light hearted, a bit melancholic, slightly heart-fluttering. And the Master being mean, as usual. And maybe not as much around the reader. ;)
> 
> Actually... I just realise that there aren't any gender terms in this story... so you can read it at as whoever you want, lol.

It was evening, the dark sky above your heads was clear and tinted in the most beautiful shade of bluish almost-black you had ever seen, adorned with countless freckles of brightly glowing stars. Two moons hung above a set of purple mountains in the distance and through the dense atmosphere of the planet you could make out the white shimmering rings that surrounded it.

 _Beautiful_ , you thought, your heart thumping excitedly in your chest.

It had been such a great day. The two Time Lords and you had visited the local market, which was known throughout this whole solar system for its exotic wares. You had seen so many different species! Some that were only colourful gas clouds, others which looked like spindly frogs in suits, another group you could swear were actual werewolves! Then there had been this couple of bird people, with folded wings on their backs and their whole body covered in blue and purple feathers.

The market itself was not less colourful, the wares so weird that, most of the time, you had no idea what the items actually were good for. While the Doctor ran around and annoyed the merchants with his bubbly attitude (and the fact that he had no money), you and the Master had stayed a little behind, taking everything a little slower.

"What's that?" you asked, as the two of you made a halt in front of a cart that was filled with all sorts of gadgets. "It almost looks like a camera."

The Master chuckled. "Because it is, stupid."

You poked out your tongue and elbowed the Time Lord. "Smartass."

"Pfff, it's common knowledge!" he mocked. "The Loperals are known for their advanced image capturing devices. Every proper traveller knows that!"

You sighed. He was always bragging around like that. Even more than the Doctor, and in a way that made every bit of information he gave out sounding like an insult to your intellect. The Master knew perfectly well that you literally _couldn't_ know these things, and usually you just tossed some sarcastic comment back, resulting in the two of you bantering half serious, half joking.

Only now did you not find yourself in the mood for it. This camera device reminded you of how you always loved to take pictures in your old hometown, of everyone and everything. You were actually really good at it, having a great eye for aesthetics, angles and composition.

"You're alright?" the Master asked, his voice a mixture of teasing and earnest. "Or did your little brain just get fried from all that knowledge?"

"Shut up," you grumbled and strode away from the stand.

"Oi! Don't be rude, ape."

"You're the rude one," you snapped back, burying your hands in your jacket pockets.

The Master grabbed your hood and tore at it hard enough to make you stumble backwards and right into him. For a moment you startled at the closeness. Normally he did his best to keep his distance to you, but now you were almost certain to feel his hearts beating against your back.

He then ruined the moment by resting his elbow on your head.

"You're acting weird. Weirder than usual, I mean. What's up?"

Strangely enough he didn't sound cocky and mean, this time. It also was quite nice to stand so close to him, since the temperatures were a little cool and his body warmth was making you relax.

Gosh, you really should stop feeling so comfortable around a lunatic mass murderer, you scolded yourself with a frown.

"Hellooooo! Y/N... you're still alive? Answer your Master!"

Again you elbowed him, not hard enough to be painful. A smile involuntarily crept over your face.

"Don't mind," you finally responded. "It's not as if I could afford anything here, anyway."

"Oh, I bet, selling you to some collector would yield a bit of pocket money." He sniggered in his meanest way and moved away from your back. "I'll leave you alone for a bit. Need to have a little fun without getting bored to death by your stunted brain."

"Yeah, I think those lobotomized crabs from before might be a way better company for you," you grumbled back sourly. He couldn't just be nice for one single, bloody time, could he? Or at least speak one sentence without insulting you...

Without even looking back at him you continued strolling over the market, marvelling at all the weird and alien things around you. One booth caught your eye that sold fantastic statues made out of what seemed like soap-bubbles, held together by cobwebs. The constructs were floating slightly above metal sockets and you wondered how to even transport this, without breaking it.

Somewhere you also met the Doctor again and he did his best to tell about everything you came across. Then he found a particularly nasty fly-looking alien and greeted them as if they were old friends. Maybe they were, you had no idea and continued on your own.

Some hours must have passed since you all had arrived here, your stomach started to rumble quite a bit and every booth that sold food made you wish you were brave enough to just rob them. The low blood sugar let your mood drop significantly, so you sat on a low, broken stone wall nearby and just watched the different species.

Someone stepped behind you. You noticed it just a second too late and already had two arms wrapped around your throat, making you struggle in a panic.

"Hold still, dimwit!" a familiar voice called out and you relaxed turning your head up to see the Master scowling down at you.

"Damn you!" you shouted at him. "Why'd you scare me like that? What are you even doing?"

The arms around your neck vanished and you realised he had fastened a clasp there. With a small tug he moved the attached leather straps and you suddenly had a device dangling over your chest. It was the camera thing you had seen before. The exact one you had been staring at.

"Wh... what? How?" you stammered.

"Oh, I have my ways." The Master smirked sarcastically.

You had a vague idea of how he had used his hypnotism or some other nefarious way to get his hands on it. But why had he at all?

"You seemed so sad. Thought it might brighten your mood a little," he said in an almost soft voice and hopped on the wall right next to you. Distinctly you got aware of your shoulders touching as he sat there, letting his feet dangle and swing in a quite boyish manner.

"Thank you," you breathed and felt a blush creeping over your cheeks. Could you dare to lean just a little closer?

Suddenly he stopped the dangling and shot straight, his eyes shooting towards you, brows raised. "You have no clue how to operate the device."

"Uhm... no." That made you a little sad again. "It probably would be too annoying to explain it to me. I'll just look up a manual when we're back."

To your surprise the Master laughed. "Don't be daft. Look."

And with that he almost rendered your entire brain useless by leaning over to you, putting one arm around your shoulder to be able to grab the camera with both hands. His face was so close to your own, it was hard to concentrate on his words, to keep in mind what all the different buttons and dials did.

"Well... it might be enough to flip that one and then press the release. It's sort of an automatic mode, but since you're so skilled with human photographs I thought the rest might interest you as well."

It did! Tremendously at that. And you had even understood most of the explanations. But how and why did the Master know of your skills? And why was his arm still around your shoulder?

"It... it really does interest me," you brought out somehow. "Thanks." It took all the courage in your system to speak out the next words. There was no guarantee you would ever dare to ask it again, so you pulled yourself together, took a deep breath and, "Wou.... would you... could I have a picture? I mean... with... with you in. I mean, us. Both. Just, uhm... err..."

The Master snorted, but still didn't move away. "What would you need _that_ for? I know I'm a good looking guy, but why would _you_ be in the picture?"

An almost growl emerged from your throat. Suddenly there was an enormous wish to simply push him from the wall and storm away.

"Why do you need all those pictures anyway?" the Master continued. "You can never capture a scene exactly as it is. Even with those advanced devices."

It was then that you understood. Of course, how could it be different?

"Hey! What's the sad look for again?" he called out exasperated. "That wasn't an insult. Just a question."

"I know," you mumbled and gave him a weak smile. Why was his face so close, god damit! "Human memory is not as great as a Time Lord's, you know." Your finger brushed over the camera around your neck. "One day the images in my head will fade, they will distort, vanish even. I don't want that to happen. In years to come I want to take out those pictures and re-remember all of those special and beautiful scenes. All this small moments that made me happy."

For a few seconds it was silent.

"Oh... I see," came the soft reply from next to you. "So, this is a special moment to you?" he asked in an almost husky voice, leaning close to your ear.

You almost squeaked at the proximity, but then nodded – and blushed furiously at the boyish grin the Master gave you.

"Alright then. Let me take the photo, I have longer arms."

He carefully pulled the strap over your head and held the lens towards the two of you, draping his other arm back over your shoulder to draw you close to him. You smiled into the camera, not bothering what expression he might be making (probably something silly, but you didn't care).

"Hm... no, that won't do," he mumbled afterwards and held the camera out once more. "Y/N, look at me."

Perplex you did, remembering how close his face was. Shyly you peeked into his hazel eyes, seeing a weird expression in them that was completely unfamiliar to you. And before you could form another coherent thought he suddenly was even closer, his lips brushing over yours. The realisation made you gasp in surprise, but only for a second, before you found yourself responding carefully, the thing in your chest no longer a heart, but a bird, wildly fluttering against its cage. He kissed you so tenderly, yet with an eagerness that surprised you, that was so much more than you had imagined in your daydreams.

The click of the camera's release resounded.

And with that the Master broke away from you, a mischievous grin spreading his lips almost ear to ear, eyes crinkling in clear joy. He tossed the camera at you and hopped from the wall.

"Next time you want to sneak something to the Doctor I will use that picture as blackmail. He will sooooo not be pleased with you for mingling with the enemy." The Master threw his head back, cackling idiotically to himself, while he strode away into the crowd.

You stayed behind, completely dumbfounded about what had just happened. You pressed a hand over your heart, trying to calm it down in vain. Had this really only been a trick? And when had you ever snitched on the Master for anything?

Confused you slid from the wall and strode in the same direction the Time Lord had vanished. Only now did you notice that it had gotten dark and that the market was now illuminated by floating orange paper lamps. The sight let you forget everything for a moment and you got lost in taking picture after picture, banning all the beautiful sights into the device.

Eventually, though, your hunger got too bad to ignore and you were almost about to head back to the TARDIS, when you found the Time Lords again. They were arguing about something, and by the look on the Doctor's face it seemed as if he had caught the Master stealing something, or hypnotizing someone.

"I didn't hurt anyone!" the Master spat. "And they won't go poor from loosing this little."

"It's still not right!" the Doctor whined.

Finally they both spotted you and for a moment you were tempted to hide the camera. But no, you were not going to give it back or even apologize for keeping it. Not in the universe! The Master shot you an impish grin and tossed a small paper back at you, which you caught in time.

"You must be starving, little one," he commented. "Our dear Doctor keeps forgetting how much food your species needs."

Puzzled you opened the bag and found it full of fried little meat balls. You took one out, noticing they were still hot, and carefully bit into one. They were delicious! Slightly spicy and a little savoury.

"Mhm... those are soooo good!" you let out and the glance from the Master you caught told you that he knew perfectly well you would like them.

"Alright, alright." The other Time Lord gave up. "Just this once. Go and get some snacks. I want to watch the firework later."

Giggling and grinning the Master rushed away, doing his nefarious deeds. The rest of the evening was spent with laughter and jokes and really delicious street-food. He had picked all the things you absolutely loved, and each time you closed your eyes in delight, you saw a happy smile on his face when you opened them up again.

When the loud bangs of fireworks clogged your ears you suddenly felt a hand slip into yours. It was warm and gentle and you simply leaned your head against the Master's shoulder, not caring at all what he was planning again. Clearly he wouldn't just hold your hand without gaining anything from it.

"Don't want to take a pic of the fireworks?" he asked in a mocking voice.

"I don't think I can capture it good enough," you confessed.

At those words he reached over your shoulder once more and showed you the right settings. You weren't able to pay much attention to it, however, being too busy peeking at him from the side. Of course he noticed it, turning to you with a wicked smirk and slightly poked out his tongue.

"What? Want more blackmailing material?"

"Wha... no! I'm not kissing you again!" you shot out, turning your head away hastily so he couldn't see you flush again.

The Master removed his arm from you and straightened, but you could swear you heard him mumble, "Too bad, I liked it."

When his hand left yours there was something staying behind. A tiny figurine of sorts. Later you found out it was a delicately crafted miniature of a fox, your favourite animal. For now, though, you put it in your pocket and took a few half hearted snaps of the remaining fireworks, deciding to show them to the Master later.

They surely must be bad enough for him to explain – definitely in an exasperated tone – how you could have done it better.


End file.
